Heineken cans biomass plants

Heineken: Green ambitions

'Temporary' closure of green initiatives

Heineken UK has shelved operation of two 'green' biomass plants worth £35 million because of concerns about their effect on the local environment.

A leaked memo revealed the company’s fears that the system was “not robust” and could generate “excessive smoke” that would adversely affect the facility’s neighbours.

The Tadcaster and Manchester plants - designed to initially burn woodchip and eventually spent grain – were commissioned last November. It was claimed the plants would cut the firm’s CO₂ emissions by 30,000 tonnes a year.

“We don’t have a way of starting the plants up from cold where we can guarantee that we do not cause excessive smoke…” Heineken UK engineering manager Richard Jeffers said in the memo, leaked to Sky News.

In a statement released to BG, Heineken UK insisted the closures are temporary but did not suggest a date when the plants will recommence operation.

“The technology used in biomass generation is new and we need to address some operating issues with these two installations before they can commence full-time running,” said the firm.